McKillers

As I was walking back to work, I passed a peaceful demonstration in front of McDonald's. Protestors were dressed as burgers with the name McKillers emblazoned on their fronts, and handing out flyers warning of the evils you support by frequenting MickyD's, and the harm you're doing to your body by ingesting their food. (I'm waxing ironic by even calling it food, by the way.) An even more brilliant part of the scheme: a few of the protestors were scattered about the sidewalk giving out sandwiches, bottled water, and fruit juice to dissuade would-be McCrap customers.

So, the reason why I was so fascinated by this was because I've just finished reading Fastfood Nation by Eric Schlosser. I'd been meaning to read it since it came out, but didn't really push myself to because I thought I knew exactly what I'd find in it. Well, quite a few things surprised me:

Ok, we all know that the majority of their advertising is aimed at children, but did you know that that same advertising has now infiltrated the classroom? How? Through corporate-sponsored teaching aids, of course! Now your kids can study biased textbooks while also assuming the role of unsuspecting marketing targets! Woohoo! Oh, and the cost of these "learning" materials for the corporations? Fully tax-deductable, of course.

We also all know (or at least I hope so) that Coke and Pepsi are bad for your digestive system, teeth, and weight, and that excessive consumption of soda in general can cause calcium deficiency. But did you know that Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and 7-Up licensed their logos to a major baby bottle manufacturer? Good idea, give the kiddlets soda early, before they've got any teeth to ruin. Or what about the fact that Coca-Cola promises contributions of rather conservative figures to schools with budget problems... providing, of course, they sell an absurd amount of their product each year. How do schools deal with this? By encouraging students to bring Coke into the classroom.

So, the aim of the fast food industry is to formulate a system in which training is not necessary, meaning that employees leave these positions having learned no valuable skills whatsoever. Yes, yes, we all know that. But did you know that fast food chains receive hundreds of millions of goverment dollars through Targeted Jobs Tax Credit? Why? Why, for "training" their low-income employees! And they need only keep these employees for 400 hours to receive the credit. Our tax dollars at work, kiddies!

Surely you can't discuss the fast food industry without addressing the beef industry. Ok, yes, yes... E. coli, salmonella, Mad Cow, the FDA and USDA fuck up constantly, blah, blah, blah... but seriously, read this book. It's way too much for me to cover here. However, I will say this: once I move back to the States, I'm converting to vegetarianism. Seriously.

Despite the fact that Schlosser goes on and on about the cultural damage that the fast food industry is doing, and the fact that most people have accepted McWorld-Domination as inevitable, he asserts that it doesn't have to be. He recounts David-and-Goliath-esque stories of those who've spoken out against and have gone up against the industry and have not only walked away heros but have made others aware of the yuckiness inherent in it.

In the final chapter, he calls for people to support a ban on advertising unhealthy foods directed at children. He points out that Congress can't order fast food giants to provide job-training to their employees, but they can do away with the tax breaks which are perpetuating the high-turnover rate which keeps job-skills to a minimum. He encourages tax-payers to insist on healthier, safer food in school cafeterias, question why the USDA and the FDA are hampering each other's efforts, and demand that slaughterhouses and meat-packing facilities slow down the line to impose stricter standards on beef meant for domestic consumption. (Funny how they only slow down the line on the days when they're processing beef which is to be exported to the E.U.) The fast food chains have the power to change meat-packing and agriculture in the U.S. But first the consumers must demand that they do so.

He closes by reminding us that, "Even in this fast food nation, you can still have it your way."

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